Rotten friend, fresh start
by EmTeeDub-Yew
Summary: Remember that act of betrayal that Rottytops committed in Risky's revenge? this two-part story shows us why she did it, how she felt after doing it, and most importantly, what she did to mend her broken friendship.


**A.N.** _Finally, the anticipated Shantae fan fiction,** Rotten friend, fresh start **is Ret-2-go! Before that, I just want to thank .Luke and Axol the Axolotl from the Shantae fans portal for their motivation in helping me write this story. As it is, there aren't may things to write about for Shantae, but they reassured me that I could do it, so for that they have my gratitude. This story is my version of what happened during Risky's revenge, and before (or during) pirate's curse. Enjoy!_

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_Rotten Friend, fresh start_

I don't know what had gotten into me that day. I can't remember why I decided to help Risky Boots, of all people. In fact, she's one of the LAST people I would ever agree to make a deal with. Because of that pirate woman, many zombie families, including mine have to even caravan in the first place!

_So WHY did I agree to work with her?_

I helped her for a brain. Not just any brain either, the deal was for Risky to give me Shantae's brain, if I helped her kidnap an old geezer, Shantae's uncle, Mimic- a famous relic hunter. I guess I can't help myself; I am a zombie after all, you don't get to taste a brain as exotic as a genie's very often. What also made it worse was that Risky got my brothers got involved in this as well.

…

The whole mess started after Shantae made a latte for Abner Cadaver and Poe. I thought it was really sweet that she made my brothers some coffee, in return for their help. I guess that coffee didn't satisfy Abner, since I heard him grumble about some "chick's drink" when they came back to our camp deep in Tangle Forest. At least Poe enjoyed it. Although he liked it so much to the point where I remember him saying he wanted more. Soon enough, I noticed that my brothers slipped out of camp when it was feeding time. I thought nothing of it at the moment, until Poe slipped back into camp looking like a zombie kid on Halloween night

"Hey Rotty" he whispered "Come with me, Abner and I just found someone with a sweet deal that I'm sure you'd like!" I was never someone to pass up a sweet deal, so I followed Poe out of camp. We got far enough from the camp, where the fires from the caravans were like red and orange fireflies. I saw Abner waiting for us, with someone I wasn't expecting- Risky Boots. As soon as I saw her, I froze.

"Wait, is RISKY the client that you were talking about?" I asked. I was just about to turn around and head back to camp, there was _no way_ I was going to deal with this woman. People call us "The troublesome trio", but Risky was just bad news.

"Yeah, that's her" Poe said "but listen to what she has to say"

"Aren't you happy to see me" Risky sarcastically said; I just sneered "but I'm pretty sure that the deal I'm about to propose to you is much too sweet for you to pass up. It's a pretty simple task: you kidnap the old man, Mimic, and I can get you anything you desire. Gems? Clothes? Maybe some Coffee?" then after a pause, a corner of her mouth curved to a smirk "or….how about brains? I know you like them. In fact, I'm sure that you want a certain genie girl's brain…." I was shocked how did she know I wanted Shantae's brain? Had she been listening to our conversation earlier? Her offer just repeated itself in my head. Could she really give me the opportunity to try such a rare delicacy? Should I even take her seriously? Despite how tempting the offer was, I couldn't accept it. I wouldn't sell out Shantae, when Risky has something that could destroy Sequin land.

"Sorry Risky" I said "but I'm not interested in your offer. Find some other zombie girl to do your work." I was just about to pass through the trees to get back to camp when a hand on my shoulder stops me

"Rottytops, what're you doing?" Abner Cadaver hissed "do you realize what a great deal you're letting pass by?"

"Think about it, this simple mission can get us whatever we want!" Poe whispered "Risky promised that we'd get a lifetime supply of coffee, we'd never have to worry about turning into ghouls ever again, since we'd always have a batch of coffee for ourselves!" I looked past the two and at Risky, who was patiently checking her fingernails in the distance.

"I guess you have a point, but I don't think coffee's really worth it". Coffee was pretty important to me, but it just wasn't really my favorite thing in the world.

"Well…" Poe paused to find his words "…when do you really get the chance to taste genie brains? I mean, coffee's pretty easy to find, but a genie's brain isn't."

"Poe's right" Abner adds. "And your friend's brain isn't going to stay ripe forever. The longer you wait, the less tastier it's gonna be. Your friend's brain is in its prime now. Besides, what's a little challenge to her? I mean, she has defeated Risky before; she'll be able to it again."

"But… I'd still feel bad…."

"Well, if you do accept the deal, we can just leave before your friend arrives, and she'd never know it was us. And once Risky beats her, we can get her brains. It's up to you, but that's completely fine with us if you don't want to…I'll just tell Risky the deals of-"

"Wait, I'll do it. Don't call off the deal." Abner and Poe just grinned as they walked back to Risky, with me following behind.

"Looks like our sister made up her mind" Abner said. "The deal's on." Abner and Poe shook hands with Risky. I hesitated once she turned to me.

"….Will I really get Shantae's brain if I do this?" Risky Boots grinned

"As long as you do what I ask, I'll see to it that you get her brains." I stared at Risky's waiting hand "So do we have a deal?" Without hesitating, I shook hands with her, sealing the deal. Once we stopped our handshake, Risky told us our task "Bring the old man to the underwater caverns under Mermaid cliffs, and that's where you'll get your reward." With that, she made her exit. Satisfied, Abner Cadaver and Poe started heading back to camp.

"Are you coming, Rottytops?" Poe asks

"Yeah," I say "Just give me a minute, okay?" Poe nods and continues back to camp. I stare up at the night sky, thinking about the deal. I can't believe that I'm actually going to eat a genie's brain. I just wasn't expecting this to actually happen. To eat something like a genie's brain was an extremely rare thing today. I decided to head back to camp, grinning to myself about the reward I'd get by doing such a simple task.

After all, Shantae owed me a brain anyway.

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**A.N.** _Rottytops, what did you get yourself into? Ah, the powers of persuasion and peer pressure. It's twice as bad when it's your brothers doing the persuading. Lucky for you guys, that was only part one. Thanks for taking the time to read Rotten friend! Don't forget to review if you get the chance! -EmTeeDub-Yew_


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